IndiGo becomes 1st desi airline to have over 2,000 planned flights daily

NEW DELHI: IndiGo has become the first Indian carrier to have over 2,000 scheduled or planned flights daily. The Rahul Bhatia-founded airline, which started flying on August 4, 2006, had in December 2017 become the first Indian carrier to operate 1,000 flightsin a day with the budget carrier taking over 11 years to reach that milestone. The second 1,000 came much faster in just six years despite a fallout between the airline’s two founder-promoters and then Covid.The airline has been able to benefit from the tailwind of the fact that India has seen the fastest recovery of air traffic – especially domestic – post the pandemic.
Currently having over 330 aircraft in its fleet with almost 1,000 planes yet to be delivered till mid 2030s, IndiGo has over 60% domestic market share and is also the largest Indian carrier on a standalone basis for flying people in and out of the country. Since Jet Airways’ financial situation started worsening from around 2017 culminating in the airline collapsing in April 2019, IndiGo has had a pretty much unchallenged run in the Indian skies.
The recent takeover of Air India and AI Express by the Tata Group and consolidation of these two with AirAsia India and Vistara to create a mega Maharaja – along with an order for 470 aircraft – has led to the very real possibility of Indian another strong airline group with AI reviving. The industry sees India having two strong airlines in IndiGo and Air India Group in the near future. The youngest Indian airline, Akasa, is battling teething troubles for the past few months like pilot exodus that forced it to cancel flights and is facing passenger complaints for other reasons like system troubles.
Meanwhile about the new landmark, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said: “As we celebrate this remarkable milestone of surpassing 2000 scheduled daily flights, we reflect on IndiGo’s journey of reshaping the Indian aviation landscape. This milestone is more than a numerical feat; it’s a strategic leap positioning us for enhanced connectivity and a redefined passenger experience. Our commitment to giving wings to the nation is palpable in our mission to connect people and aspirations across India. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued customers and partners for their continuous support, as we look forward to soaring to new heights together.”

“According to the latest OAG Data for October 2023, IndiGo is among the top 10 airlines globally in both frequency and by seat capacity… IndiGo now has 2,000 plus scheduled daily flights which include cargo operations, as well as Central Armed Police Force and Army charters. The airline has achieved this figure in just 17 years since starting operations back in 2006,” IndiGo said in a statement. The airline’s network currently has 85 domestic and 32 international destinations, with major plans to grow. IndiGo plans to double its presence by the end of the decade.